Gift
by Frozenleaf
Summary: Gifts are meant to express gratitude towards another person, but when Sophie receives an anonymous present for her birthday, she finds herself curious as to who could have sent it. Post-Game.
1. Chapter 1

_I decided to write some happy non-angst stuff. Many thanks to Daidairo for being my beta, as always._

* * *

 **Chapter 1**

Everything had been perfect.

It was Sophie's first birthday party, celebrated with friends and family. Everyone had turned up- Richard, Hubert, Pascal, the Captain… even Poisson and President Paradine had appeared. The party had been held out in the garden in front of Lhant manor, with the sopherias in full bloom. Throughout the day, there had been plenty of food and entertainment, with crablettes for everyone. She had been surrounded by friends the entire day- and as dusk fell, she was buoyed by a joy that wouldn't go away.

Still, after all the hectic activity of the day, Sophie was grateful for the comfortable quiet of the night. Now, she sat in Asbel's study with her parents, opening her gifts. The study- normally austere- was piled with all sorts of presents. New clothes from Cheria, board games from Hubert, a strange doll crafted by Pascal- and those were only the ones she'd opened.

"There're so many," Cheria marveled as she placed another doll off to the side.

"Is it too much?" Sophie frowned. It did seem like a lot to put into her small room.

Asbel chuckled. "We'll figure something out," he said, clapping her on the shoulder. "People give you presents because they want to wish you well. It'd be rude to throw them away."

"I see." Sophie smiled. "It's ok even if they didn't give me presents- just seeing everyone was good enough for me."

"That's sweet, Sophie," Cheria said. "But I think sometimes presents convey feelings that the person might not say, you know?"

"So does Asbel get you presents, Cheria?"

Asbel sputtered and blushed, and Cheria ended up hiding her laughter in her hands.

And behind her, there was a soft 'hmph'.

Sophie had forgotten he was there. Peering over her shoulder, her eyes met piercing red ones. Leaning against a bookshelf, half-hidden in the shadows, a small, humanoid boy surveyed her. But despite the slight smile he wore, he looked strange and out of place in her home. Not for the first time, she felt a prickling sensation at the base of her neck.

She always felt uncomfortable when Lambda was around.

Noticing her stare, the smile on her nemesis's face disappeared.

She turned away, ignoring Lambda. He had been living with them for months, ever since Pascal built a humanoid hull for him. And though they were cordial with one another, things between them were still awkward. He must have felt similarly as she did- he hadn't been at the party, after all. They always made a point to avoid each other unless it was absolutely necessary.

Not like that mattered to her parents.

"Come join us, Lambda," Asbel called.

There was a brief hesitation. Then, Lambda's voice, haughty and bold, echoed through the room. "I must decline," he said. "I see no point in my presence here."

Sophie didn't turn to look as he strode past her and out of the room.

She heard her father sigh. Asbel had an apologetic smile on his face. With an awkward chuckle, he said, "Sorry, Sophie. I asked him to help. I thought-"

"No, it's okay." She turned back to her presents, hoping her relief didn't show.

Asbel frowned, but before he could say anything, Cheria's soft gasp interrupted them.

Her mother held a small box in her hand. From where she sat, Sophie could make out her name, printed on the cover. Catching her eye, Cheria turned the box towards her, her face lit up in excitement. "Look at this!"

Inside was a single, elegant brooch. Three purple cryas sopherias lay over one another, lifelike petals resting delicately as if they were real. A thin, vine-like filigree of cryas wove the flowers onto its silver clasp. In the light, the brooch was iridescent, sparkling with a magical allure. Underneath it, there was a single note. The words, "Happy Birthday", were printed in the same handwriting as was on the lid.

"Woah." Asbel gaped.

"It's pretty," Sophie agreed. Gently, she plucked the brooch from the box. In her hand, the cryas felt comfortingly warm. Small, glittering eleth particles danced whimsically under the surface. It looked so lifelike- nothing she had ever seen before.

"Who sent it?" Sophie asked.

"I don't know," Cheria replied. She turned the box in her hand. Apart from her name, there was nothing defining about it. "There's no note."

"That's strange," Asbel muttered. He picked up the box and studied it intensely, but eventually shook his head in defeat.

Sophie turned to her mother. "You said people send gifts to convey their feelings, right, Cheria?"

"Yes, that's right." Cheria smiled knowingly. "Do you feel something, Sophie?"

Sophie bit her lip, then nodded. "I feel… happy," she said at last. Looking up, she added, "I want to find whoever made this. I want to thank them in person."

"Sophie-" Asbel began. "Is that even possible? There could be a million and one other brooches like this. Someone could have bought this in Fendel, for all you know."

"I don't think so," Cheria murmured. "I've never seen sopheria brooches before- they're not common flowers. And it feels kinda… personal."

Sophie nodded. "It does," she whispered. Looking at her parents, she bit her lip. "Whoever made this- I must have met them before. I want to find them. I want them to know that I treasure their feelings."

Asbel sighed. "You'd try even if I told you no, right?" He let out a chuckle. "Well, it's a good thing the guests haven't left town yet. You could probably find whoever sent this tomorrow, if you're lucky."

"Really?" Sophie couldn't keep the smile from her face.

Her father laughed. "Really. But for now-" He glanced at the pile of presents beside him. "What say you we finish tackling the rest of these first?"

Sophie laughed, and set the brooch aside. As it was, the rest of the presents were nowhere as mysterious as the little black box, even if some of them were strange.

Yet it was the little black box that she left open on her nightstand. In the moonlight, the brooch shimmered brightly, a comforting spectacle in the darkness of the night. The sopheria blossoms looked as if they were swaying to a non-existent wind, their presence warding off the shadows as they danced in a soundless lullaby.

As she drifted off to sleep, Sophie vowed she'd find the person who sent her this gift.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

The next day, Sophie woke up bright and early. There was a bounce in her step, and eager anticipation ran through her body. The brooch jingled in her pocket as she skipped down the corridors.

But just as she turned a corner, she froze.

And as he spotted her, Lambda halted too. He was halfway through the doorway of Asbel's study, his shoulder pressed against the door to open it without causing too much sound. Cradled in his arms was a thick tome, elegant drawings of foliage upon its cover. Normally, Sophie would have left him be, but the startled look on his face when he saw her made him all the more suspicious.

They stared at each other, tense seconds ticking by as neither chose to move.

Finally, Sophie asked, "What are you doing?"

Lambda's lips tightened into a thin line as he drew himself up. "Returning a book." He lifted his chin, daring her to dispute his claim.

"I didn't know you were interested in… nature guides?" She squinted at the title, only for Lambda to clutch it closer to his chest.

Panic flashed in his red eyes, and a sudden chill ran through her. Instinctively, she stepped back, a sudden weight in her throat. But then she saw the way he flinched at her movement.

Before she could say anything, he turned away; pulled the book closer to his chest. "I wasn't scheming of destroying Ephinea, if that's what you're worried about."

"I wasn't-" Sophie began weakly, but her words trailed off when she saw Lambda's shoulders slump.

"No." His red eyes flicked to her fleetingly. "That- that was rude of me. Excuse me."

He pushed the door open, slipping through without a sound. It wasn't until the door closed with a click that Sophie realized that she had been half-reaching out towards him, towards the enigma that was her old nemesis.

Quietly, she retracted her arm. Sliding her hand into her pocket, the smooth cryas surface of the brooch felt calming, reassuring.

And with a shake of her head, Sophie turned back to the task at hand.

* * *

Sophie went to find Pascal.

The Amarcian inventor spent the night in one of the inns in town with Fourier and Poisson. When Sophie came knocking, Pascal blearily opened the door, only to shoot to attention at the sight of the girl. When Sophie explained her problem, she quickly ushered her in. Now, she stared intensely at the brooch, holding it this way and that.

"Pascal?" Sophie asked after a while. Pascal had been standing still for close to two minutes- far longer than usual. The Amarcian had a hand on her chin, her brows furrowed in intense scrutiny. She looked almost cool- if it wasn't Pascal.

"Hold on, Sophie," Pascal told her. "I've… almosttt got itttt-"

Sophie waited.

And then Pascal threw her hands up in the air and whirled around on the spot. With a look of defeat, she held the brooch out to Sophie. "Yeah, I've got nothing."

Hesitantly, Sophie plucked the offending item from Pascal's hands. "Nothing?" It was rare for secrets to escape the inventor's notice, once she started looking.

"Don't get me wrong," Pascal replied. "I didn't find anything because there was nothing _to_ find."

Sophie frowned. The brooch glimmered in the palm of her hand. "What do you mean?"

"Exactly what I said!" Pascal flopped into a nearby chair, cradling her head with her hands. "It's just cryas, Sophie. From the looks of it, it's probably wind cryas- lacks the _pazow_ of fire cryas and feels more _woosh_ than anything. But even so, it's not high quality- just run of the mill stuff you can find anywhere."

"What about the way it was made?" Sophie asked.

"Yeah, I'm sure it looks fancy and all," Pascal replied, "But I've seen jewelry shops that use cryas artes to manipulate the shape of cryas- it's probably just something like that. Really well done, don't get me wrong, but it's nothing special."

"So it could have been bought from anywhere?" Somehow, Sophie felt a pinch of disappointment.

The Amarcian paused. "I wouldn't say that." She offered the girl a comforting smile. "Most mined wind cryas comes from Lhant. And sopherias only tend to grow around Lhant because of the eleth gathering around Lhant Hill. Chances are-"

"Someone from Lhant made this?"

"Yup!" Pascal agreed. "So, on the bright side, you'll probably find whoever made it if you searched the stores. Whoever made this wasn't an amateur- there's a whole lot of effort spent into doing the twiney windy bits. You're probably looking for some sort of master craftsman, if I had to guess."

Sophie smiled. "Thanks, Pascal."

Pascal grinned back. "What are friends for, am I right?"

What indeed. Later, Sophie paused at the inn's steps, leaning against the closed door. The person who gave her the brooch- they must be a friend of hers, surely. But her friends' presents had been accounted for, and the giver of the brooch still remained a mystery.

Yet, if they were friends- why was it that they left no clue of who they were?

The thought puzzled her.

* * *

She spent the afternoon searching the shops in Lhant. The shopkeepers were always happy to showcase their best pieces to Lord Asbel's daughter. There were many cryas jewelry pieces on sale, all beautifully crafted. Still, none matched the brooch she now wore on her collar- either in design or radiance.

As the sun rose into the sky, her stomach began to growl. Sophie stopped for lunch in the town square. After buying a sandwich from the baker's, she found a shaded corner to eat. Despite the energy and commotion about her, however, her thoughts drifted back to her quest- and how increasingly futile it seemed to be. She had already exhausted her search options, and she wasn't keen to make the journey to the next town over to search _their_ jewelry stores.

"Gald for your thoughts?" A voice rang out behind her.

She nearly dropped her sandwich. Two hands steadied her, and Asbel's kind eyes peered down at her, a mirthful smile on his face.

"You must have been _really_ distracted." He chuckled, and Sophie pouted in return.

"I was just… thinking about the brooch," she mumbled, before taking another bite into her lunch.

"No luck?" her father asked. He sat down on the bench next to her, eyes attentive.

She shook her head. "Pascal said that whoever made it might be a local," she answered, "but none of the shops sold anything close to it." She finished up her sandwich and sighed, tilting back as she let her thoughts settle.

"Hey Asbel?" she asked. "Why didn't they write their name?"

Her father shrugged, a helpless smile on his face. "I don't know," he admitted. But catching her expression drop, he continued, "I'm sure they must have their reasons."

"What kind of reasons?"

"What kind-" Asbel frowned. "I guess… maybe it'd be troublesome if you knew who they were?"

"Why would it be troublesome?" Sophie asked heatedly. "If they gave me a gift, aren't we… friends?"

"Not necessarily." Her father's words were soft. "Sometimes people give gifts as an apology. Or because they can't say the things they want to say in person." He flashed her a self-deprecating grin. "I know I have."

Sophie frowned. "But if I don't know who they were, I won't even know what they're apologizing for."

Asbel shrugged. "Yeah, you got me there." He scratched his nose, head tilted towards the sky. "Maybe- maybe it doesn't matter to them. As long as you receive their feelings. As long as you know."

"As long as I know?" Sophie frowned. Pulling the brooch out from her pocket, she wondered. "That's… selfish of them," she said at last.

"Very," Asbel agreed.

"But… I don't think whoever made this is a selfish person."

There was an unsaid question written clearly across her father's face.

Sophie shrugged helplessly. Lifting the brooch to her father, she said, "I don't think a selfish person would be able to make something so beautiful."

Asbel's confusion gave way to a soft smile. "No," he agreed. Picking up the brooch, he pinned it to her shirt collar, a look of pride on his face. "I don't think a selfish person would be able to send something so genuine, either."

"Genuine?" Sophie blinked, surprised.

"I- don't know." Asbel laughed. "It's just… it looks really clear, and _real_ , you know? Most of the cryas jewelry I've seen look… duller than this. But it's like someone just plucked this cryas, fully formed, from wherever it was growing."

"Like the cryas itself was alive?" A sudden thought crept into Sophie's mind, a nagging sensation that suddenly bloomed into an idea.

After all, _he_ hadn't given her a present- or so she thought.

"Sophie?" Catching the look on her face, her father now watched her with concern. "What is it?"

Sophie bit her lip. "Has- has Lambda been acting strange these past few days?"

Asbel's frown deepened. "I'm not sure if it counts as strange," her father answered at last, "but the guards reported that he's been wandering around the river the past few weeks, and only comes back before dinner. They say he's drenched each time he returns."

The river, where fragmented cryas shards were washed away from the mining; where children collected them for their lucky eleth charms. They were usually too small to be of any use for any human- but Lambda was no human, now, was he?

There was a strange knot in her gut, a stiffness in her limbs. But still she pushed herself off the bench, the answer clear in her mind's eye. Even if it was Lambda, it must have taken time and effort to have created something so beautiful out of cryas shards. Something he created- for her.

"Sophie?" Asbel asked once more, rising as she stood.

"I- I have to go," she said. She saw the worry in Asbel's eyes as she kissed his cheek- he knew something was up.

"What do you plan to do?" His question was soft, concerned.

She bit her lip. That _was_ the question, wasn't it? The brooch glinted softly in the dappled light, the eleth underneath its surface singing warmly to her senses.

And Sophie answered, "I'm going to thank him."


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

There was a tree on top of a hill by the roadside, slightly out of Lhant. Many travelers passed it by, but few would have paid it any attention. It was a normal sight on a normal day, a shady spot where tired travelers could rest.

It was there that Sophie found Lambda. He sat with his legs stretched out on the grass, his head propped by his hands as he leaned against the bark. His gaze scanned the distance, where cows ambled in the green pastures below. There was no expression on Lambda's face- he could have been bored, or he could have been plotting her demise, for all she knew.

Watching him, Sophie hesitated. The sopheria brooch, pinned to her shirt collar, felt unusually heavy.

But at the same time... the hands that had crafted her gift so delicately might have been his.

He didn't react to her presence. He could sense her, just as she could sense him. It was like a pulse, deep in her subconscious. A constant reminder of what had happened between them.

Too often, that reminder kept her at a distance. But now, here she was.

"Are you not uncomfortable? Standing there?" His voice was soft, carried to her by the wind.

She ducked her head slightly. Her cheeks felt warm. "May I… sit?"

His eyes met hers, and she resisted the urge to glance away. His brow furrowed, an unspoken question written on his face. She tensed, wondering if he would chase her away. Then his gaze rested on the brooch, and a flicker of unease crossed his face. If he were anybody else, Sophie would have thought he was nervous.

"What brings you here?" he asked at last. "Surely Protos Heis would not have sought me out without reason."

"I-I wanted to thank you." The words felt heavy, and unusual to be directed towards Lambda. But it was the right thing to do; to say.

Lambda snorted. "Whatever for?" he asked brusquely.

"For the present." Tentatively, her hand brushed the brooch.

He stiffened. Then, he narrowed his eyes. "What makes you think that I-?"

"You were the only one who could have made it," Sophie pointed out. Taking his silence as acknowledgement, she awkwardly sat beside him. Up close, she could make out the slight reddening of his cheeks and the tight tension in his body. "You borrowed Asbel's book to study sopherias, and collected cryas shards from the pool. And then you wove the eleth together to form the brooch with artes." She lowered her head. "It had to have been you- almost nobody else can manipulate eleth to such a degree. The brooches I saw in town pale in comparison to this."

He turned away, fingers playing with his sleeves.

"The only thing that threw me off was the name." She tried to smile. "It was addressed to 'Sophie'."

"It _is_ your name." Lambda's face was pensive for a moment. Finally, he shrugged. "Addressing it to Protos Heis would have given it away." His demeanor was nonchalant, but his gaze was fixed straight ahead.

"I… didn't expect you to give me a present," she admitted.

Lambda didn't immediately reply. He plucked a blade of grass and slowly twirled it with his fingers, brows furrowed into a frown. "I… wanted to."

She studied her companion. "Why?"

He glanced at her. "Asbel said- you give someone a birthday present to show them your gratitude for their continued existence."

"That doesn't sound right," she murmured.

"No," Lambda admitted. "I paraphrased." He grinned- then he caught himself. Self-consciously, his hand rested on the nape of his neck.

Sophie bit her lip. "Why the secrecy?" she asked at last.

He snorted. There was a strained smirk on his face. "I did not think you would find it welcome- to receive a gift from me."

She studied her companion; noted the way he refused to look at her, how he always diverted his gaze. She had always assumed that he distrusted her- but now the reason for his awkwardness seemed so clear.

Hesitantly, impulsively, she reached for his hand, taking it in her own. His skin was cold, his fingers pale and slender- fragile, easily broken. But for the first time, holding his hand made Lambda feel _real._ As if he wasn't a shadow in the periphery of her vision, slipping out of sight the moment she noticed he was there.

"Protos Heis…?" He glanced at her, surprise in his eyes.

When she smiled, it came easier this time. "It made me happy," she said. "When I touched the brooch, I thought I could feel what its maker must have thought."

Lambda hesitated. Then, he asked, "What did you feel?"

"I felt your dedication," she said. "I felt your kindness." His fingers were human; delicate. Not like the clawed daggers she remembered. These were the hands that had fashioned the brooch, that had sifted through cryas shards for days. "I thought- whoever made this… cared about me. Wanted me to treasure his feelings."

Her companion stared at her, eyes wide and jaw slack. He didn't look like her shadowy nemesis at all. Just a very unusual boy.

She beamed. "Thank you, Lambda."

He had gone a beet red. His eyes darted haphazardly, trying not to focus on her. But gone was the sense of disconnect she got when she looked at him. Instead, laughter bubbled up from her lips as she watched him.

"Don't- laugh at me." It might have been a threat, but it came out as a bashful mutter.

"I'm sorry," she managed.

"You're not." He huffed, but he did not pull his hand away. It had settled comfortably into hers, resting easy with their fingers interlaced. He hesitated and studied her for a moment, before he muttered, "It looks good on you."

Sophie smiled. "I'll get you something for your birthday, too."

"You don't need to." Lambda snorted. Catching the confusion on her face, he explained, "I don't _have_ a birthday. I told Asbel it was unnecessary."

"That's not true!" She was surprised at the forcefulness in her voice. Judging from the surprise in his eyes, he was too. She continued, "If you don't have a birthday, how would anyone ever give you a present?"

"I don't need presents."

There was a quiet solitude in his voice. And remembering what he had said, she felt a whisper in her heart. She squeezed his hand.

"Tomorrow."

"What?"

"Your birthday." She met his gaze. "It's tomorrow."

"Protos Heis-"

"Everyone's still around," she said. "There's still plenty of food. We could throw a celebration easily." He was about to protest, and she fixed him with a look. "Please, Lambda."

He hesitated, like he always did.

But instead of turning away, she smiled. She gave his hand a little pat as she stood. "Alright then."

He yelped, "Protos Heis, wait-"

But she had already skipped off, running as fast as her feet would carry her. She would have to tell Asbel and Cheria, and the cooks and the staff and anyone else who was still around. But she was determined that Lambda would have a birthday- that it would be just as joyful as her own.

The brooch on her collar felt light and warm to her touch.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

The next day, Sophie decided to check up on Lambda before breakfast. She found him halfway out of an open window.

She stared at him. He glared back, half-ready to drop himself out into the foliage below. They maintained that tableau for a minute or two, before Lambda let out a sigh. Drawing himself up, he slipped back into the room, a look of disdain on his face as if everything was going according to plan.

"I wasn't going to run," he groused. "I was simply going for a morning walk."

"What about the door?"

"I am unused to human custom," he answered easily. "Such as doors- and birthdays."

With a sigh, Sophie shook her head. She eyed him reproachfully. "Your hair's a mess."

He huffed and folded his arms. "It's natural."

"Oh- just stay still." She picked the comb up from his dresser and moved towards him. He balked and opened his mouth to protest, but she shot him a glare. With a heavy sigh, he acquiesced and dipped his head. Still, there was no disguising the grumpy look on his face.

"This is a waste of time," he muttered.

Sophie frowned as she ran the comb through his hair.

"It won't be that bad, I promise."

"How would you know?" Lambda shifted his weight, a flash of unease passing across his eyes. "People love you, whereas I-"

Sophie let out a breath. "You saved the world too, you know," she murmured. "There are many who are… what was it? Grateful for your continued existence?"

He managed a small grin at that.

She set down the comb when she was done. Lambda ran his fingers through his hair, furtively glancing at the mirror. She had parted his fringe aside, revealing more of his face, and he seemed conflicted whether he should destroy her handiwork or not. She couldn't suppress a giggle at the sight.

He blanched. "I look ridiculous."

"You look fine." She held out a hand. "Come on. Everyone's waiting."

He gave one last glance at the window behind him. Then, with a sigh, he studied her. "Would you chase me if I fled?"

"I won't," Sophie promised. "But you wouldn't flee, right?"

The surprise in his eyes slowly changed to a smile. With a low chuckle, he shook his head and took her hand, before trying to put on his best glare. But somehow, her old nemesis didn't look as menacing as she remembered.

She smiled as she clasped his slender fingers loosely with her own.

* * *

Lambda's birthday was not as loud and crowded as hers. Most of the international guests had already left, but their friends were still in Lhant. Surprisingly, many of the local towns folk turned up as well- they had seen and heard of Lambda, and came out of goodwill and curiosity. Soon, the standoffish boy was piled with all manner of presents- from little gift-wrapped boxes of sweets to daggers. He even had a cow named after him (the farmers had apparently noticed how Lambda spent much of his time watching the cows graze).

At first, Lambda seemed close to panicking with all the commotion, but he calmed when she rested a hand on his arm. Eventually, he began to open up on his own. He didn't stray far from the people he knew, but slowly, he started to engage more and more with the people around him. Sophie was surprised he managed not to anger anybody- he was courteous; bashful even. He seemed like a different person entirely- if not for the occasional smirks she caught on his face and the odd snide remark that slipped out.

Eventually, the party wound down and the guests streamed away. She found Lambda reclining on the bench in the garden, an arm draped over his head. He was the picture of exhaustion, but there was a ghost of a smile on his face.

"Never again," he muttered.

"What about next year?" she asked.

He groaned. "Is this your idea of revenge, Protos Heis?"

"Maybe." She giggled and sat down by his side. "But you enjoyed it."

"I most certainly did not." He pulled himself up and folded his arms, looking every bit the grump. But catching her eye, his face softened. "I've… never received so many presents in my life. I did not expect it."

"How does it feel?" she asked.

"Strange." He let out a throaty laugh. "I feel- buoyant, warm. Like there's a light, inside of me."

"Happy." Sophie smiled.

Lambda stilled, as if the wind had been knocked out of his body. Then he dipped his head, his eyes hidden behind his messy bangs.

"Perhaps," he whispered softly.

Now was as good a time as any. Sophie pulled out a soft package, tied with a small ribbon, from behind her. Shyly, she reached forward and picked up one of Lambda's hands. As he lifted his head to watch her, she deliberately placed the bundle in his palm, even if she was too scared to meet his eyes.

"Happy birthday, Lambda."

Wordlessly, his fingers closed over the package. He stared at it, his face twisted in an expression she had never seen before.

Reverently, he whispered, "May I…?"

She nodded, and with delicate precision, he pulled at the ribbon. The package unfolded, revealing a handkerchief of pale blue with his name emblazoned on it in thread. A pattern of flowers lined its edge. It had taken her all night to finish it, and it was nowhere near masterful. But still, the calmness of Lambda's face sent a ripple of disappointment through her.

"I- I know you don't really need one-" Sophie began. "And I know it looks bad-"

"It's beautiful."

When Lambda turned to her, there was a softness in his eyes, a kindness in his smile. Gone was the quiet pain so often present in his eyes, replaced with a warmth that was out of place, but sorely welcome. It quelled her words, and sent shivers down her arms. _This_ was the person who had sent her the brooch.

"Thank you, Sophie."

Her heart skipped a beat and she found herself gaping at him. "You used my name."

Lambda's eyes widened. "Th-that's-" he began, only to flounder. Finally, he muttered, "I-it _is_ your name."

"You never call me that." Her smile grew. "It sounds nice."

"W-why does that even matter?" He straightened his back and tried his best to glare at her, but his cheeks were flushed as red as the sunset behind him.

"You're right, it doesn't." She giggled, and Lambda made a flustered little noise before burying his head in his hands.

"This _is_ your revenge," he mumbled.

"You started it," she said with a smile.

"I did _not_."

"You did," she insisted. "You gave me this." Her fingers flew to the brooch on her collar.

At that, Lambda was speechless. His face was twisted in indignation, but when he opened his mouth, all that came out was a helpless little chuckle.

Mildly, she thought: she actually _liked_ this Lambda.

With a shake of his head, Lambda held up a hand in defeat. He fell back against the bench, a contented smile on his face.

It changed into a small smirk as he added, "I'll get my revenge next year."

"I'll get you a better present too," Sophie returned.

"That's not what I meant!" he blustered.

And Sophie laughed as she tugged Lambda back home.

 **End**


End file.
